To hate it when people sing?

[Ilovemybrick2]

I don't mean choirs or humming a happy tune as you do your dishes. I mean randomly breaking out into song.

This might just be my mad family but I'll try and explain

So my mum and her immediate family members do have very nice singing voices and are known in their local area for this.

However they do this thing where they basically start singing and everyone has to stop and listen.

So for example, everyone is at one of their houses for auntie's 60th. Someone will say something that inadvertently reminds someone else of a song (say uncle Pete says the chicken in thyme is lovely, aunt Sally will break out into Wild Mountain Thyme)

And then she'll do this haunting a capella rendition and everyone is expected to stop what they're doing and listen to her, marvelling at her talent or whatever the fuck. Or in my case, wishing she'd be quiet.

Another example - the other day I was giving my mum a lift somewhere with my baby and older child in the back. Baby started fussing. Mum launched into haunting rendition of some fucking song she sings in her choir. Baby fussed more. I had a conversation with older DC regarding baby's rattle, where it was and if DC could reach it. All the time mum is warbling away soulfully. I asked her if she could stop singing a minute so I could hear DC. She then got really ratty with me and snapped "I'm allowed to sing if I want!". But I know that she was pissed off because the car didn't fall silent at the power of her voice, instead we went on a verbal hunt for the fucking rattling dragonfly toy.

Seriously, they do this all the fucking time and it makes me cringe to the point where I want to claw out my eardrums. I feel like a mortified teenager.

AIBU? Am I being petty or is this genuinely annoying as fuck?

I'm not even sure what annoys me about it, I think it's the soulful attitude

I'd probably like the singing itself, but definitely not the "the world had to stop to admire my wonderfulness" attitude. That would drive me nuts.

That is hilarous I know it is annoying but Im imagining you sighing and rolling your eyes when Aunty jean bursts into song My stepdads family were like this my grans song was My love is like a redred rose, by Robert Burns it went on for DAYS

Mum launched into haunting rendition of some fucking song she sings in her choir.

I can see how it might be annoying but I've always longed to be in one of those families!

My Uncle does a turn at family do's and I always wish more of us did! He sings rude songs too...old fashioned double-entendre ones!

Ugh. I had to go to karaoke with a bunch of this type. We couldn't just have a lairy drunken sing sing, nooooooo, the choir types had to bring out their big voices and pick dull songs that showcased their range.

Oh hell, we have the red red rose song as well.

Honestly I find it almost physically painful, it's so cringey. They definitely want to be told how lovely and moving it all is, and it's the most inappropriate times as well, just when you're needing to get on with something else. And they get so bloody offended when you don't listen quietly. I would say it was the main thing I'd row about with my mum as a teen. I'd be sitting in the conservatory reading or watching TV and she'd come in and sit down and start singing. And get annoyed when I wouldn't stop what I was doing and listen.

This sounds like a nightmare.

Bonkers. Dh and I have both sung in choirs, and we all sing along with stuff on the radio etc, but the idea of launching into some kind of impromptu performance znd expecting everyone to stop and listen is hilariously ott. It must be infuriating if it's a regular thing.

Thecatsthecats that's it exactly. And it's always songs where you pull a face like you're having a really uncomfortable poo and it's making you a bit red faced and teary. And there's loads of emphasis on certain words. I don't know how to describe it but yeah that

all the time my mum was warbling away soulfully

YANBU op but your description of it was

YANBU, it's annoying.

My DSis studied opera and her friendship circle has a tendency to burst into song at any given opportunity.

And not like you might all have a sing song and take the piss, it's full on Glee type performances without the shit choreography.

Always makes me want the ground to swallow me whole if we're in public. It's just showing off.

I'm glad I don't know as anyone like this, it would make me squirm.

I would hate it, even if I wasn't expected to play the admiring audience.

YANBU, I hate it when people do this, it always seems to be elderly people with little quavery voices in my experience!

I wouldn't mind so much if I knew they just wanted to sing one verse, the panic sets in when they continue and I have no idea when it will end and how long I have to keep a carefully neutral expression on my face

It is showing off. It's like when small children eyeball you in public and start doing dance moves or cartwheels in the hope you will see and praise them for it. Totally fine aged 7, fucking mortifying aged 57

Sorry but I found your description hilarious! It reminded me of the film “about a boy” when the lad and his mum break out into “killing me softly” - Hugh Grant says “it’s worse when they close their eyes” 😂

I was prepared to call you miserable just based off the title, but having read the full post I have to agree. Your family sound really fucking annoying.

I have no idea what you can do about this. It reminds me of the scene in Step Brother's where Derek's family are singing together in the car. Perhaps sing the song from that scene really loudly over the top of them? The worse you are at singing the funnier it would be.

"My name is Derek and I can sing hiii-iiii-iiiiigh!!!!!"

Oh god, cringing for you 😂😂 you poor thing!

It reminds me of last weeks gogglebox and the first dates clip with the really intense woman singing to her date and EVERYONE, date and celebs included, physically cringing 😂😂😂😂

Having said that, there is one little old lady at the home my grandad is in who just breaks into song (not especially loudly but you can hear her) it's so sad and adorable too to hear her singing away.

I'm right there with you. I can't stand random singing. I'm my case it's the PIL who break into folky Peter Paul and Mary type songs at the drop of any hat, anywhere, anytime. If at their house, FIL will and run for his guitar then we all know we're in for a 20min recital. They can't even sing that well. It's excruciating.

I know some people like this who are all theatrical, lovey types.

The worst thing is the absolute earnestness on their faces while doing it. That really OTT musical theatre look-up-look-away-look-back-at-you which is so awkward.

They also often launch in to the start of a soliloquy (“is this a dagger I see before me?”) and that’s quite awkward too

But the absolute worst is making eye contact with someone during their performance. It makes me feel the same squirmy way as when I make eye contact with a dog having a poo.

@Ilovemybrick2 And it's always songs where you pull a face like you're having a really uncomfortable poo and it's making you a bit red faced and teary. And there's loads of emphasis on certain words. I don't know how to describe it but yeah that

you poor poor thing!

And then she'll do this haunting a capella rendition and everyone is expected to stop what they're doing and listen to her, marvelling at her talent or whatever the fuck.

Crying! 😂😂😂

My mother does this! I hate it. Makes my skin crawl. You're supposed to listen and admire. She sings Gaelic songs and she's not even bloody Scottish. And she does the "I'm allowed to sing" bit too. Alright fair enough but I'm allowed to want to throw you in the sea.

I am so, so glad your family isn't my family!

I have a single big colleague. It's constant. I really want to snap "what if we all sang all the time? How would that be?" But obviously I don't.

Cringe!